


A nice Problem

by Servena



Category: The Pacific (TV)
Genre: Belly Rubs, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Insomnia, Late at Night, M/M, Stomach Ache
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 23:15:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17395574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Servena/pseuds/Servena
Summary: “Can’t sleep?”





	A nice Problem

Eugene shifts again, trying in vain to get comfortable in the small bed. The edge of the cot is digging into his right arm and the army-issued blanket is barely long enough to cover his feet. The rain has eased up about an hour ago, but the air is still heavy with humidity, making sweat come out of every pore. None of this is new to him except for the pain in his stomach that has steadily increased since they had an unexpectedly big dinner complete with army noodles instead of the usual rice.

Figures that the only thing that’s made him happy for weeks would end up making him even more miserable.

“What’s the matter, Sledgehammer?”

Eugene groans inwardly at Snafu’s voice, he had thought that every else in his tent was already fast asleep judging by the deep breathing all around him. “Nothing.”  He shifts again, pulling at his blanket even though he’d rather kick it off, but he knows from experience that getting to sleep without one will be even more difficult.

The next moment he hears the sound of bare feet on the mats and then a dark shape looms over him. “You been turning a lot.”

Eugene squints up, but he can’t make out Snafu’s face in the dark and his voice is as unreadable as ever. “Sorry if I woke you up”, he says sharper than intended.

“You didn’t.” Eugene can hear him shift on his feet. “Can’t sleep?”

Eugene sighs. “No.”

“Move over.”

Eugene groans, but knows Snafu well enough by now to expect him to just sit down on top of him if he doesn’t move, so he scoots over as much as he can without falling out of the cot. It isn’t much, but enough for Snafu to squeeze himself onto the edge, the bed creaking ominously underneath both their weight.

“What’s going on?” Snafu turns to face him and from this angle Eugene can just about make out the white in his eyes.

“Food was too good, ate too much.”

Snafu huffs. “Now ain’t that a nice problem. I’d like to have me a problem like that.”

Eugene nudges him with an elbow in the ribs. “No, you wouldn’t, it really fucking hurts.”

Snafu just hums at that. Then he leans forward and slips his right hand under Eugene’s shirt to rest on his stomach.

Eugene starts. “Snaf, what the fuck?”

Snafu shushes with a finger over his lips. “Quiet, or you wanna wake the others?”

So Eugene stays quiet as Snafu’s hand draws slow circles across his stomach. It’s a weird feeling to be touched like that, even for a marine who has lost his sense of personal space months ago. He closes his eyes because staring up into Snafu’s obscured face is starting to become awkward, and ponders his motivation. Maybe he really cares. Maybe he just wants Eugene to be quiet so he can get back to sleep. Right now Eugene isn’t at all sure which option he favors.

Hell, maybe he gets something out of this, a voice in his brain brings up, but that’s not really a path he wants to go down.

He hisses as Snafu’s fingers press into a painful spot.

“Easy, easy”, Snafu mumbles, and his low voice together with the slow movement of his hand is calming. Eugene can feel his breath even out as the tension seeps out of his body.

When Snafu finally pulls his hand away and sits back up, the sharp pain of earlier has been transformed into a dull ache that’s barely noticeable anymore. Snafu gets up without saying anything, maybe thinking that Eugene has already fallen asleep.

Eugene watches the dark silhouette as he makes his way back to his own cot. “If you tell anybody about this”, he says quietly, “I’m gonna find a chance to shoot you.”

Snafu turns around and Eugene can make out his white teeth in the dark as he grins. “About what?”

Yes, about what? Eugene’s brain circles around this question for a couple more minutes, but his body feels comfortable and heavy and in the end he succumbs to sleep without finding any answers.


End file.
